That Sweet Burn Page 4

  “Yeah, I guess. What’s the number?” Dimitri asked as he picked up a pen and began writing. “Okay, I’ll keep this handy, and call you if I need to.”

  “You do that. By the way there’s a motel next door.” There was a slight hesitation, and then, Franco said, “Do you understand?”

  Dimitri’s voice softened. “This is not what I expected when you invited me for dinner.”

  “Things have changed, Dimitri…and I mean…changed.”

  “All right, yes, I understand,” Dimitri said into the phone.

  “One more thing. At the bar, I’ll be sitting in the back…way in the back, where it’s dark. We’ll have a lot more privacy back there.”

  Dimitri could feel a hot flush growing inside him at just the thought of meeting Franco way out on the highway. Nothing—nobody around. Just two guys horny for each other. But God, oh, God, it’ll be so—so damned—

  Suddenly his thoughts were interrupted by a familiar voice.

  “Got a phone number for you. Her name is Eleanor, and—”

  “Tell that bastard to keep his fuckin’ phone numbers to himself,” Franco said through the receiver of the phone. “You’re just about to get educated.”

  Dimitri’s eyes closed when he felt another surge of desire flare up inside him at Franco’s words. Oh, God, how he wanted Franco. “I’ll be there,” Dimitri whispered into the phone.

  “Good,” Franco murmured softly. “I’ll get us a room.”

  Dimitri almost groaned.

  * * * *

  Franco replaced the receiver slowly, thinking of what he would tell Rolly. Deciding to play it by ear he picked up the phone, dialed Rolly’s number and waited for him to answer.

  “Hello,” came the deep masculine voice at the other end.

  “Hi, Rolly, it’s Franco. I just talked to Dimitri, and he says he can’t make it Saturday night, and since you have plans as well, I think I’ll just make some plans of my own. I guess dinner on Saturday night wasn’t such a good idea after all.”

  “Yeah, that’s okay. It’s just as well. Another time, then, huh?”

  “Yeah. By the way, if I’m not at home when you get back, don’t worry about me. I may be a little late.”

  “Heavy date, huh?”

  “Just me and some of the guys.”

  “Okay. Well, I’d better hang up; I need to get dressed.”

  “Rolly, about Dimitri…”

  “Don’t start, Franco.”

  “Why the hell do you object to me giving you a little advice?”

  “Because I don’t need it. Now, goodbye, I’ve got a call to make.”

  After Franco hung up the phone, he set about to finish the dishes. He had just finished wiping off the counters when Rolly came in looking as if he’d just lost his best friend. “Oh, my God, what’s wrong?”

  “He can’t make it tonight, he has plans.”

  “Who can’t make it? What are you talking about?”

  “When you called and said Dimitri wouldn’t be coming to dinner Saturday, I thought maybe we could go out tonight instead, so I called him to find out if he had plans.”

  “That’s the call you had to make?”

  He nodded. “You might have been right about him. He sounded as if he was hiding something. You know, kind of nervous, and all. I think he’s seeing someone else.”

  “Damn, Rolly, I’m sorry,” Franco said. “How serious are you about Dimitri?”

  “Not serious, really. I was just attracted to him. I figured we’d hang around together, fuck a little, get to know each other, and what happens, happens. You know? But he won’t even give it a chance. He’s just not up for it, I guess.”

  “It sounds to me like he’s not ready for a serious relationship yet. I’d let him go if I were you and find myself a guy who is.”

  “If he would just give me some kind of encouragement. If he’d just say something…”

  “Rolly, if he doesn’t feel the same way you do, then it’s better if he doesn’t say anything, otherwise he’d be guilty of leading you on. You don’t want that.”

  “Well, I’m not giving up on him,” Rolly said stubbornly. “He’s too good a catch to just ignore.”

  Franco felt like a louse for wanting the same thing with Dimitri—only for himself.

  * * * *

  Saturday night was here.

  Dimitri was nervous, continuously glancing up at the wall clock while he worked. He dropped pens, spilled coffee, and when pizza arrived he couldn’t eat it. When the ten o’clock hour came and went, he finally excused himself to go to the bathroom. While sitting in a stall, he nervously punched in Franco’s cell phone number.

  “Dimitri?” the small voice said that answered.

  “Yeah, it’s me. I’m still working. I don’t know what time we’ll be through.”

  “It’s okay,” Franco said. “Just keep checking in if you can.”

  “If you want we can do this another—”

  “No. It’s gotta be tonight. I don’t care if it’s midnight when you get through. Just get your hot little butt over here the minute you’re free. I’ll be waiting.”

  Dimitri heard music in the background. “Are you there now?”

  “Yeah, I just got here. I haven’t even ordered a drink yet.”

  “Okay, well, I’ll be there as soon as I can.” He heard someone come into the bathroom, and whispered, “Gotta go.”

  When Dimitri walked back into the office, Mr. Sims looked up at him, and said, “Well, it looks like that’s a wrap, Dimitri. The lady liked the suggestions you made earlier, so that’s what we’re going with. Congratulations. She wants to make sure you’re on our team when we go into court. Are you up for that?”

  “Oh, yes, sir, Mr. Sims.” He looked over at the woman and smiled. “And thank you, Ms. Morley. I’ll do my best for you.”

  “Thanks, Dimitri. I’ve got a lot of confidence in you. Looks like Sims and Schuster hired themselves a good paralegal this time.”

  “Yes, ma’am. Thank you.”

  “Keep him happy, Sims,” she said, smiling and waving as she left.

  “I’m going to recommend you get a bonus for your part in this, Dimitri,” Sims stood up, closed the books, and gathered his papers. “We believe in rewarding our employees when they show us they deserve it, and you definitely do.”

  “Thank you, sir.”

  “Now get out of here. I know you changed your plans for me this evening, and I appreciate it.”

  “No problem, sir. As it turns out I’ll be able to salvage some of it.”

  “Great. See you Monday.”

  After snatching up his jacket and briefcase, Dimitri said, “Good night, sir.”

  On his way to the bar, he managed to get Franco on the phone.

  “I’m on my way,” he whispered. He didn’t know why he whispered, it just seemed to call for it.

  A dark hideaway out on a deserted highway with a motel next door had all the earmarks of a sleazy affair. He didn’t like those words. He didn’t like sneaking around as if they were doing something wrong, but Franco insisted on keeping their rendezvous a secret. If it was up to him he would tell Rolly everything—after all they’d had only one dinner date, and that was totally platonic—at least he hoped that was the way Rolly felt.

  Chapter 4

  AS Franco sat in the booth with a straight whiskey sitting in front of him, he thought of Dimitri. He couldn’t keep the roiling of desire down. It swirled inside him when he thought of his blond hair, his smoldering eyes, and the body he knew would fit right in his arms. He’d seen handsome men before, but there was something about Dimitri that grabbed him right in the cock and balls. Even now he could feel his inches growing, getting harder and harder. God, how he wanted to bury them in Dimitri’s ass. He’d never met a man who could make his feelings jump inside him. Jump and swirl, and burst and heat him up like a fire out of hell.

  After about forty-five m
inutes he heard the door of the bar open, and looked around.

  It was him.

  God, he looked good.

  Franco took a quick look around, and saw the women looking at him—even the men. He could tell at a glance that Dimitri could put these poor devils to shame in the looks department—but he was all his.

  He watched as Dimitri’s gaze raked over the place. When he finally saw Franco, he moved toward him, his easy swagger making Franco even hotter than he already was. Franco quickly scooted out of the booth when Dimitri walked up.

  “Sit down. Make yourself comfortable. Did you have any trouble finding the place?”

  “No. Like I said, I’m familiar with the area.”

  When he scooted in, Franco slid in beside him. God, he wanted to climb all over him. To touch him, to handle him, to feel his flesh beneath his exploring fingers, but he knew Dimitri was inexperienced, and he didn’t want to scare him, or run him off, so he forced himself to take it slow.

  “What are you drinking?”

  “I don’t know,” he said, looking down at Franco’s drink. “Same thing you’re having, I guess.”

  Just then the waitress walked up showing too much cleavage, and wearing too much makeup. “What can I get you?”

  “Bring him what I’m drinking.”

  “One raw whiskey coming up.”

  “So what are we doing here, Fran…uh, Mr. Mo—?”

  “Damn! Can’t you call me Franco?”

  “I’m sorry, it’s just…well…”

  “All right. No need to explain. I understand. But if you want to throw cold water on this whole situation just keep calling me Mr. Moretti.”

  “Well, hell, I hardly know you.”

  “Yeah? I intend to do something about that tonight.”

  Dimitri squirmed in his seat. “Well, it’s not only that, it’s just that keeping this from Rolly…I mean…”

  Just then Franco silenced his tongue by grabbing his thigh.

  Dimitri gasped.

  “Tell me, Dimitri,” Franco said, his voice low and intimate. “Does that feel like Mr. Moretti, or does that feel like Franco, the conceited Latino that’s got fire for blood?”

  Dimitri cut his gaze over toward him. “I’d say that’s Franco.”

  “You’re damned right it is. Now, listen. I like you, I like your looks, and I

  thought—” He hesitated. “Well, since we’re both…you know. Hell, maybe we could get together and see what happens.”

  “Is that why you rented a room next door?”

  “It’s just…in case.”

  “So what about Rolly?”

  “Rolly again? Let’s leave Rolly out of this, okay?”

  “Aren’t you afraid he’ll find out?”

  “He won’t…unless you tell him.”

  “It won’t work, Franco, and you know it.”

  Franco abruptly turned away from him, reached for his glass, brought it up to his lips and let the burning liquid fall down his throat. Finally, while looking down at his empty glass, he said, “Look, Dimitri, I’m not stupid. I know you’re new, inexperienced, but hell, a man has to start somewhere. But…well…if you don’t feel the same just say so, and we’ll forget we ever saw each other.”

  “I don’t know. You look so damned hungry. The whole thing just makes me nervous.”

  Franco turned and looked at him, surprised. “My God, are you scared of me, Dimitri?”

  “Not of you, necessarily. It’s…I’ve never…”

  “I know, but it’s as hard on me as it is on you, but in a slightly different way. Being with a man that’s never…well, it’s enough to scare a man to death. Sure, I fought against it at first, that’s why I treated you the way I did, but when you wouldn’t take my nonsense, I was impressed. After that…well, I’ll be honest with you, Dimitri. It’s hard to ignore you. Your one helluva good-lookin’ guy.”

  “Maybe so, but I’m the same guy that couldn’t remember his own name. Remember?”

  “Hey, I’m willin’ to forgive and forget. So you couldn’t remember your fuckin’ name. I don’t care, as long as you remember mine. I’ll tell you a little secret. The first time I saw you, it’s a good thing you didn’t ask me my name. I probably would’ve stumbled around worse than you.”

  * * * *

  “Franco Moretti,” Dimitri whispered as his gaze and Franco’s snapped together and fused. “I’m not likely to forget it.”

  “Give the man a kewpie doll,” Franco whispered as his gaze fell to Dimitri’s lips, and then licked his own.

  When Dimitri saw the sexy movement of Franco’s tongue licking and caressing his lips, he felt a whopping surge of sinful lust filling his cock, making it grow. “Don’t do that, Franco, it just isn’t…proper.”

  “We’re in a dark bar, sparks are flying, and something inside tells me that not much about this night is going to be proper, so how about we forget about what’s proper and get down to business?”

  Before Dimitri knew what was happening, he felt Franco’s hand moving up his thigh, getting dangerously close to his cock. “You’re just full of surprises tonight.”

  “You can bow out anytime you want,” Franco whispered.

  “What…and miss the show you’re putting on?”

  By now, Franco’s arm was up over the back of the booth, and he was inching so close to Dimitri that they were inhaling each other’s breath, but neither would move.

  And then suddenly Dimitri felt Franco’s lips on his.

  “Oh, God,” Dimitri breathed beneath Franco’s kiss. When Franco’s other hand began getting sinfully close to his cock, Dimitri felt the wall behind him preventing him from moving away, so he followed his own morally wrong instincts and opened his mouth hungrily to let Franco’s tongue inside to tangle with his own. It caused another flourish of heat to burn his insides. Right now all he wanted was to lie down in this stupid booth and let Franco fuck the hell out of him.

  As if Franco could read his mind, his kiss became deeper and his hand more insistent.

  Dimitri seemed to lose his breath as a flurry of sensations began roiling inside him. He’d dreamed of this moment. The moment he would feel a man’s lips on his, the moment he would feel a man’s hands on his body. Now that he did, he knew he’d been missing the hottest and most awesome experience of his life. The roiling heat inside him turned to a storm of lust, a desire so deep and so strong he didn’t think he’d ever have enough. He wanted to climb on Franco, to fuck the hell out of him, to eat his cock, to graze along his chest, and to tangle his tongue around Franco’s and make a meal out of him. And then suddenly he felt Franco’s hand as it began—oh, God, he was unzipping him!

  “What the hell are you—”

  “Shut up, Dimitri.”

  “But I’ll…”

  “No you won’t. By the time I get through with you, you’ll be begging me to take you next door.”

  “Oh, God, the motel,” Dimitri said.

  “Touch me.”

  “What?”

  “Open up my pants and put your hands on me, dammit.”

  “But I’ve never…”

  Suddenly Dimitri felt Franco’s hand grab his and put it down his pants. Before he knew what was happening he was feeling heat—the heat of the forbidden. It was cock skin!

  With a few quick movements, Franco whispered, “Now, fuck me with your hand.”

  As if showing him how, he felt Franco’s hand on him, rubbing him, bringing him to such heights he’d never known. It seemed like the natural thing to do, so he began doing the same thing to Franco, and as he did he could feel him harden and grow. He didn’t think it was possible, but while they were hand fucking each other, they drifted even closer together, almost lying down. A warm glow enveloped him when he heard Franco gasp, and then moan.

  Just then he looked up and saw the waitress heading in their direction. “Franco! The waitress is coming.”

  They jumped a
part quickly while adjusting their trousers, and by the time she got there they were a little mussed, but okay.

  “You guys okay?” she asked as she put the drink down. “Can I get anything else for you?”

  “No, we’re fine,” Franco said. “Thanks.”

  “Sure,” she said, and turned to go.

  “Franco, I can’t take this,” Dimitri whispered. “When the hell are we going next door?”

  Franco was silent for a moment, and then turned to look at Dimitri. “Didn’t I tell you you’d be begging? Didn’t I?”

  “What the hell are you doing, keeping score? I’m ready now.”

  “Then drink up, and we’ll go.”

  “I don’t want it.”

  “This is raw whiskey. Since this is your first time you’d better drink up, you might need the buzz it’ll give you.”

  Dimitri picked it up and downed it quickly, choking on the strength as it made its way down his throat. “Damn, that was strong.”

  “It’s hell goin’ down, but heaven once it gets there.”

  * * * *

  Stepping into the room, Franco slammed the door behind him. He wanted to block out the rest of the world. He wanted no one else there, just the two of them. Franco breathed in Dimitri’s scent. It was intriguing. He had a clean smell, with just a hint of sexy spice. It was a perfect mix for a night of illicit sex. The mix of scents, one clean and fresh, the other, shameless and brazen. It was intoxicating.

  Just then Dimitri turned and gave Franco a tentative smile, a lot of things showing in his eyes, one being fear. He could tell that he was wondering if he’d made a mistake.

  “I’ve been propositioned before, but I’ve never…Hell, I don’t even know what I’m doing here,” Dimitri whispered in the deep silence of the room. “I’ll be honest, you…you do scare me, Franco. You take my breath away. I…”

  “Wait, Dimitri. About the night we met…I came on a little strong. I meant no rudeness or disrespect. I simply saw someone I wanted, and couldn’t let you get away. You’re easily the hottest, sexiest, handsomest man I’ve ever seen, and you were standing on my doorstep. What else could I do? I wanted you, and I hoped that you wanted me as well. As for your inexperience, I’m honored to be your first.”